Final answer:
Single nucleotide changes can result in silent, missense, nonsense, or frameshift mutations, each having different impacts on protein function, ranging from no effect to the creation of a non-functional protein.
Step-by-step explanation:
Single nucleotide changes can have vastly different effects on protein function depending on the type of mutation. For instance, a silent mutation occurs when the change does not affect the amino acid sequence of the protein, often due to the degeneracy of the genetic code, and thus the protein function remains unchanged. On the other hand, a missense mutation results in the incorporation of a different amino acid, which can have varying consequences based on the chemical properties and the location of the new amino acid in the protein structure. It might result in a fully functional protein, a partially functional one, or a completely non-functional protein if the amino acid change disrupts critical areas such as the active site.
Nonsense mutations convert a sense codon into a stop codon, leading to a truncated and typically non-functional protein. Moreover, frameshift mutations caused by insertions or deletions shift the reading frame and alter the entire amino acid sequence downstream of the mutation site, usually resulting in a non-functional protein.
Lastly, mutations can also impact post-translational modifications, which are crucial for protein function. Changes in the nucleotide sequence might affect the sites of these modifications, altering the protein's stability, localization, or interaction with other molecules.
The correct answer is b)